DIGITAL
INCLUSION

Why Does this Matter?

The ability to access and navigate the online world has never been more important. Critical government, business and community services continue moving online, and digital skills are essential for employment and education opportunities, and for social inclusion.

But some South Australians are more likely to be digitally excluded in three ways:

Access: not being able to access the internet through either their location or having an appropriate device
Affordability: being unable to afford digital devices and telecommunications services
Ability: not having the skills or confidence to do what they need to do online

People more likely to be affected by digital exclusion include older people, low-income earners, and those living in regional areas.

South Australia lags behind other states and territories in digital inclusion, and we need a strategy to ensure all South Australians can fully participate in the digital world.

What does SACOSS Want?

Telecommunications Regulation
SACOSS, alongside consumer advocacy organisations, is calling for stronger and more direct regulation of the telecommunications market to ensure consumer protections and rights, and action to help address issues of access and affordability. This includes:

Direct ACMA regulation of key customer protections (rather than being through the industry-designed Code)
Safeguards for personal medical alarms during network outages
Support for people having to replace 3G devices

Basic Service Levels
SACOSS is proposing that the government adopt the following digital inclusion goals:

Government Information All South Australians are able to access SA government websites and information without barriers of disability, language, culture or data cost.
Secondary School All South Australian secondary school children to have access to data and devices at home. They need these to be able to do research, assignments and online schooling.
Assistive Technology South Australians living with disability to have access to adequate affordable data so that they can use any appropriate assistive technology.
Public Access Every suburb and regional town should have at least one all-weather public internet access facility with computers, printers and long opening hours. A secure public wi-fi network should cover multiple public venues in all local government areas, and there needs to be targeted device-loaning and data-loaning programs to enable access to internet for private use and skill development.

Regional Digital Inclusion
Regional SA has higher levels of digital disadvantage than much of the country. Local libraries should receive fair funding for the increased work they have to do in towns where they are the only go-to digital service. A visiting mobile service should be available for smaller regional communities which don’t have ready access to institutions such as libraries.

KEYS TO THE DIGITAL WORLD

Many South Australians, especially those in regional areas, struggle to access and use the internet. This “digital exclusion” is a major problem as essential services move online. A SACOSS project found that libraries and community centres are overwhelmed by the need for digital help. The state government urgently needs to invest in programs to bridge the digital divide.